I will not participate in politics even after retirement from cricket : Sachin Tendulkar

MUMBAI: “Even after I retire from cricket I have no intention of joining politics or being part of any political rally or campaign because my father wanted me to stay away from politics”, Sachin Tendulkar has told his friends in Mumbai through a text message.

The Congress in Madhya Pradesh was trying to rope in Tendulkar to take part in some of the campaign rallies before the assembly elections there. The Madhya Pradesh Congress unit officially announced on Saturday that Tendulkar will campaign in the state for the party. Since Sachin is playing a ranji match in Haryana he is not accessible to media currently but ET asked Tendulkar through his friends based in Mumbai, about whether he would participate in the political campaign. Sachin sent a text message

Congress party spokesperson in Madhya Pradesh, Pramod Gugalia announced on Saturday that Sachin will be participating in nine campaign rallies of the party in Madhya Pradesh in November. Gugalia said that Union Minister and Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia had taken the initiative to request Sachin to campaign for the Congress party in the state. However sources at MCA indicated that this was a remote possibility.

Earlier Mumbai Cricket Association President (MCA) President Sharad Pawar had suggested earlier that Tendulkar may not be willing to take part in any political activity. Pawar told ET “As far as I know, Sachin is not keen to campaign for any party. He has no political inclination. He is a Rajya Sabha member nominated by the President. I don’t think he will participate in any political campaigning.” A senior office bearer of the MCA told ET that Tendulkar and Pawar has a telephonic conversation on Friday about the offer from Madhya Pradesh Congress and Pawar suggested to Sachin that he should decline it.

The MCA is currently busy in the preparation for Sachin Tendulkar's last test match to be played at Wankhede stadium in Mumbai in the second week of November. About 45,000 spectators are expected to be present at the stadium. Sachin will be felicitated at the stadium by the MCA.